Solid-state image pickup device, electronic apparatus using such solid-state image pickup device and method of manufacturing solid-state image pickup device

ABSTRACT

A back-illuminated type solid-state image pickup device ( 1041 ) includes read circuits (Tr 1,  Tr 2 ) formed on one surface of a semiconductor substrate ( 1042 ) to read a signal from a photo-electric conversion element (PD) formed on the semiconductor substrate ( 1042 ), in which electric charges (e) generated in a photo-electric conversion region ( 1052   c   1 ) formed under at least one portion of the read circuits (Tr 1,  Tr 2 ) are collected to an electric charge accumulation region ( 1052   a ) formed on one surface side of the semiconductor substrate ( 1042 ) of the photo-electric conversion element (PD) by electric field formed within the photo-electric conversion element (PD). Thus, the solid-state image pickup device and the camera are able to make the size of pixel become very small without lowering a saturation electric charge amount (Qs) and sensitivity.

CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present invention contains subject matter related to Japanese PatentApplications JP 2005-062714 filed in the Japanese Patent Office on Mar.7, 2005, JP 2005-163267 filed in the Japanese Patent Office on Jun. 2,2005 and JP 2006-012106 filed in the Japanese Patent Office on Jan. 20,2006, the entire contents of which being incorporated herein byreference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention generally relates to a solid-state image pickupdevice and more particularly to a back-illuminated type CMOS(complementary metal-oxide semiconductor) solid-state image pickupdevice in which incident light is introduced from the back side of asubstrate, an electronic apparatus using such solid-state image pickupdevice and a method of manufacturing such solid-state image pickupdevice.

2. Description of the Related Art

A CMOS solid-state image pickup device is known as a solid-state imagepickup device so far. This CMOS solid-state image pickup device includesa photodiode and a plurality of transistors, that is, MOS (metal-oxidesemiconductor) transistors to form one pixel, a plurality of pixelsbeing arrayed with a predetermined pattern. This photodiode is aphoto-electric conversion element for generating and accumulating signalelectric charges in response to a quantity of light received thereat.The MOS transistors are elements constructing a read circuit to readsignal electric charges from the photodiode.

FIG. 1 of the accompanying drawings is a diagram showing an example of arelated-art surface-illuminated type CMOS solid-state image pickupdevice which is applied to an image sensor. FIG. 1 shows a main portionof a pixel. As shown in FIG. 1, a CMOS solid-state image pickup device1001 includes a first conductivity type, for example, n type siliconsubstrate 1002 on which a second conductivity type, for example, p typesemiconductor well region 1003 is formed, a p type pixel separationregion 1004 formed on the surface side of the substrate 1002 to divideeach pixel and a unit pixel 1005 composed of a photodiode PD and aplurality of MOS transistors, for example, an electric charge readtransistor Tr1, a reset transistor, an amplifier transistor and avertical selection transistor (all of which are generally denoted byreference numeral Tr2). Many pixels 1005 are arrayed in atwo-dimensional fashion.

As shown in FIG. 1, the photodiode PD is formed of a first conductivitytype, for example, n type semiconductor region 1006 formed by implantingions on the surface of the n type semiconductor substrate 1002 by apredetermined depth and a heavily-doped p type semiconductor regionformed on the surface of the n type semiconductor region 1006, that is,a p type accumulation layer 1007 to suppress a dark current. The n typesemiconductor region 1006 of the photodiode PD is comprised of aheavily-doped n type charge accumulation region (n⁺ charge accumulationregion) 1006 a on the surface adjoining to the p⁺ accumulation layer1007 and an n type semiconductor region 1006 b having an impurityconcentration lower than that of the n type charge accumulation region1006 a.

The above-described respective MOS transistors Tr1 and Tr2 areconstructed as follows. That is, a p type semiconductor well region 1009is formed on the surface of the n type semiconductor substrate 1002 soas to become adjacent to the photodiode PD and heavily-doped n typesemiconductor regions, that is, source/drain regions 1010 and 1014 areformed within this p type semiconductor well region 1009 by implantingions.

The charge read transistor Tr1 is formed of an n⁺ source/drain region1010, the n⁺ charge accumulation region 1006 a of the photodiode PD anda gate electrode 1012 formed on the substrate surface between the tworegions 1010 and 1006 a through a gate insulating film 1011. This n⁺source/drain region 1010 becomes a so-called floating diffusion region(FD) and a channel region 1008 is formed right under the gate electrode1012.

The transistor Tr2 such as a reset transistor, an amplifier transistorand a vertical selection transistor is similarly formed of a pair of n⁺source/drain regions 1014 and a gate electrode 1015 formed on the p typesemiconductor well region 1009 between the n⁺ source/drain regions 1014and 1014 through a gate insulating film, although not shown partly.

Also, a pixel separation region 1019 formed of a p type semiconductorregion is formed just under the p type semiconductor well region 1009corresponding to the read circuit region 1019 on which the twotransistors Tr1 and Tr2 of the semiconductor substrate 1002 are formed.

A circuit wiring 1016 of the above-mentioned respective MOS transistorsTr1 and Tr2 is formed of a multilayer wiring through an interlayerinsulator 1017. A wiring 1017 is formed only within a read circuitregion 1018 and this wiring 1017 is not formed on the photodiode PDbecause it blocks light introduced from the substrate surface side.Although not shown, a color filter and an on-chip microlens are formedon this multilayer wiring layer through a planarization film.

In this CMOS solid-state image pickup device 1001, light L is introducedfrom the surface side of the semiconductor substrate 1002 into thephotodiode PD, signal electric charges (electrons in this example) ecorresponding to an amount of light photo-electrically converted withinthe photodiode PD are accumulated in the n⁺ charge accumulation region1006 a and the thus accumulated signal electric charges are read outthrough the read circuit formed of the respective MOS transistors Tr1and Tr2.

On the other hand, the assignee of the present application haspreviously proposed a back-illuminated type CMOS solid-state imagepickup device in which light is introduced from the back side of thesubstrate (see Cited Patent Reference 1). As shown in FIG. 2, a p typepixel separation region 1023 is formed on, for example, an n typesilicon semiconductor substrate 1022 and photodiodes PD and a pluralityof MOS transistors Tr1 and Tr2 are formed on respective pixel regions tothereby form a unit pixel 1025, a large number of pixels 1025 beingarranged in a two-dimensional matrix fashion. The pixel separationregion 1023 is formed of, for example, a p type semiconductor regionfrom the surface of the substrate to the back surface of the substrate.The photodiode PD is composed of an n type semiconductor substrate 1022encircled by the p type pixel separation region and a relatively deep ptype semiconductor well region in which each MOS transistor is formedand heavily-doped p type semiconductor regions on the surface and backsurface of the substrate, that is, p⁺ type accumulation layers 1026 and1027 for suppressing a so-called dark current. The n type semiconductorsubstrate 1022 of the photodiode PD is composed of a heavily-doped n⁺type charge accumulation region 1022 a on the substrate surface side andan n type semiconductor region 1022 b extended to the back surface sideof the substrate and of which impurity concentration is lower than thatof the n⁺ charge accumulation region. The n type semiconductor region1022 b extended to the back surface side of this substrate is formed soas to be extended under a p type semiconductor well region 1024corresponding to a so-called read circuit region in which each MOStransistor is formed.

A plurality of MOS transistors Tr1 and Tr2 can be formed of four MOStransistors of, for example, a charge read transistor, a resettransistor, an amplifier transistor and a vertical selection transistorsimilarly as described above. In FIG. 2, the charge read transistor isdenoted by reference numeral Tr1 and other reset transistor, amplifiertransistor and vertical selection transistor are denoted by referencenumerals Tr2. The charge read transistor Tr1 is composed of an n⁺source/drain region 1029, an n⁺ charge accumulation region 1022 a of thephotodiode PD and a gate electrode 1030 formed on the substrate surfacebetween the two regions 1029 and 1022 a through a gate insulating film.This n⁺ source/drain region 1029 becomes a so-called floating diffusion(FD). A channel region 1034 is formed just under the gate electrode1030.

The transistor Tr2 such as other reset transistor, amplifier transistorand vertical selection transistor is similarly composed of a pair ofsource/drain regions 1031 and 1032 and a gate electrode 1033 formed on ap type semiconductor well region 1024 between the source/drain regions1031 and 1032 through a gate insulating film although not shown partly.Although not shown, a color filter and an on-chip microlens are formedon the back surface side of the substrate through an insulating filmwhich serves as a planarization film as well.

In the back-illuminated type CMOS solid-state image pickup device 1021,light is introduced from the back side of the semiconductor substrate1022 into the photodiode PD, signal electric charges corresponding to anamount of received light photo-electrically-converted in the photodiodePD are accumulated in the n⁺ charge accumulation region 1022 a and thesesignal electric charges are read out through the read circuit formed ofthe respective MOS transistors Tr1 and Tr2.

Also, in recent years, video cameras and electronic cameras are widelyused and these cameras use CCD (charge-coupled device) type andamplification type solid-state image pickup devices. Of thesesolid-state image pickup devices, the amplification type solid-stateimage pickup device (CMOS image sensor) includes an image pickup pixelunit in which one semiconductor chip has a plurality of pixels arrangedthereon in a two-dimensional fashion and a peripheral circuit unitdisposed at the outside of the image pickup pixel unit.

Each pixel of the image pickup pixel unit has formed therein an FD(floating diffusion) unit and various kinds of CMOS transistors such astransfer transistors and amplification transistors. Light incident oneach pixel is photo-electrically-converted by a photodiode to generatesignal electric charges. The signal electric charges are transferred tothe FD unit by the transfer transistor and fluctuation of potential atthis FD unit is detected by the amplification transistor, the thusdetected fluctuation of potential is converted into and amplified to anelectric signal and a signal of every pixel is outputted from the signalline to the peripheral circuit unit.

Further, the peripheral circuit unit includes a signal processingcircuit for effecting predetermined signal processing, such as CDS(correlation double sampling), gain control and A/D (analog-to-digital)conversion, on a pixel signal from the image pickup pixel unit and adrive control circuit for controlling an output of a pixel signal bydriving each pixel of the image pickup pixel unit, such as vertical andhorizontal scanners and a timing generator (TG).

In order to produce a small CMOS camera module, there is developed amethod of connecting a CMOS solid-state image pickup device and a signalprocessing device as one chip. To improve sensitivity and shadingcharacteristics, there is developed a so-called back-illuminated typeCMOS image sensor having a structure to introduced light from the backsurface of the opposite side of the surface in which a read circuit forreading a signal from a photo-electric conversion element is formed.

FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an arrangement of animage sensor in which the above-described back-illuminated type CMOSsolid-state image pickup device is mounted.

As shown in FIG. 3, a sensor chip 101 having an image pickup pixel unitand a signal processing chip 102 having a peripheral circuit unit suchas a signal processing circuit are mounted on an interposer(intermediate substrate) 103, for example.

In the sensor chip 101, an interlayer insulator 60 is formed on asupporting substrate 70 and a wiring layer 61 is buried into theinterlayer insulator 60. A semiconductor layer 52 is formed above thewiring layer 61 and a surface insulating layer 51 is formed on thesurface of the semiconductor layer 52.

A photodiode 54 serving as a photo-electric conversion element and atest electrode 53 and the like are formed in the semiconductor layer 52.Also, a part of the wiring layer 61 serves as a gate electrode formed onthe semiconductor layer 52 through a gate insulating film, therebyresulting in a CMOS transistor 55 being constructed.

Further, a semiconductor layer penetrating wiring 56 is formed so as tobe connected to the wiring layer 61 through the semiconductor layer 52,a part of the surface insulating film 51 is removed near the portion inwhich the semiconductor layer penetrating wiring 56 is formed and a padelectrode 57 is formed so as to be connected to the semiconductor layerpenetrating wiring 56.

The sensor chip 101 having the above-described arrangement is theso-called back-illuminated type CMOS solid-state image pickup device inwhich light is irradiated on the photodiode 54 formed in thesemiconductor layer 52 from the side of the surface insulating film 51to generate signal electric charges, the thus generated signal electriccharges being accumulated in the photodiode 54. The CMOS transistor 55has functions to transfer signal electric charges accumulated in thephotodiode 54 to the FD unit, to amplify or reset the electric signal.

In the above-described arrangement, the semiconductor layer is obtainedby decreasing the thickness of the back surface of the semiconductorsubstrate and has a structure in which the semiconductor substrate isbonded to the supporting substrate 70 in order to stabilize the shape ofthe substrate.

The above-described sensor chip 101 is mounted on the interposer 103 inwhich a wiring 80 and an insulating layer 81 for insulating the wiring80 are formed on the surface from the side of the supporting substrate70 of the opposite side of the light illuminated side by a suitablemeans such as an adhesive layer. The wiring 80 and the pad electrode 57are electrically connected by wiring bonding 82 a.

On the other hand, the signal processing chip 102 with the peripheralcircuit unit formed thereon is mounted on the interposer 103 throughbumps, for example, by flip-chip bonding.

The electronic device having the above arrangement is mounted on othermounted substrate at every interposer 103 and these electronic devicesare electronically connected by a suitable method such as the wirebonding 82 b.

A method of manufacturing an image sensor in which the above-describedrelated-art back-illuminated type CMOS solid-state image pickup deviceis mounted on the mounted substrate will be described.

As shown in FIG. 4A, the insulating film 51 made of silicon oxide andwhich will become a surface insulating film in the later process isformed on the surface of the semiconductor substrate 50 made of siliconand the like, and an SOI (semiconductor on insulator) substrate in whichthe semiconductor layer 52 made of silicon and the like is formed isformed on the upper layer of the insulating film 51, thereby resultingin the test electrode 53 being formed.

Next, as shown in FIG. 4B, the photodiode 54 is formed in thesemiconductor layer 52 by implanting ions of conductive impurities.Further, the gate electrode is formed on the surface of thesemiconductor layer 52 through the gate insulating film and the gateelectrode is connected to the photodiode 54 and the like to thereby formthe CMOS transistor 55. Further, there is formed the interlayerinsulator 60 that covers the CMOS transistor. At that time, the wiringlayer 61 is formed in the interlayer insulator 60 while it is buriedinto the interlayer insulator 60 so as to be connected to thetransistor, the semiconductor layer 52 and the like.

Next, as shown in FIG. 4C, the supporting substrate 70 is bonded to theupper layer of the interlayer insulator 60.

Next, as shown in FIG. 4D, the semiconductor substrate 50 is removed bypolishing the semiconductor substrate 50 from the surface of theopposite side of the side in which the supporting substrate 70 is bondedto the insulating film 51 until the insulating film 51 is exposed. Theinsulating film 51 exposed on the surface will be referred to as a“surface insulating film”. In the following processes, the upper andlower relationship will be reversed relative to FIG. 4C for conveniencesake of sheet of drawing.

Next, as shown in FIG. 4E, the penetrating wiring 56, which is connectedthrough the semiconductor layer 52 to the wiring layer 61 is formed byremoving a part of the surface insulating film 51 and the pad electrode57 is formed so as to be connected to the penetrating wiring 56.

As described above, there is formed the related-art back-illuminatedtype CMOS solid-state image pickup device (sensor chip) 101.

The above-described back-illuminated type CMOS solid-state image pickupdevice (sensor chip) 101 is mounted on the interposer 103 from the sideof the supporting substrate 70 of the opposite side of the lightilluminated side by a suitable means such as the adhesive layer andconnected by the wire bonding 82 a.

On the other hand, the signal processing chip 102 in which theperipheral circuit unit is formed is mounted on the interposer 103through the bumps by flip-chip bonding and the back-illuminated typeCMOS solid-state image pickup device (sensor chip) 101 and the signalprocessing chip 102 are connected through the wiring formed on theinterposer 103. In this manner, there can be manufactured the imagesensor in which the above-described related-art back-illuminated typeCMOS solid-state image pickup device is mounted on the interposer.

In the back-illuminated type CMOS solid-state image pickup device (imagesensor) having the above-described arrangement, since the pad electrode,has to be large enough to be connected by wiring bonding, the chip areais increased unavoidably. Also, since the number of electrodes that canbe formed within the chip is limited and high-resistance wiring bondingis used, speed at which a signal is transmitted from the sensor chip tothe signal processing device is lowered.

On the other hand, there is developed a back-illuminated type CMOSsolid-state image pickup device having an arrangement in which anelectrode is led out from the surface of the opposite side of the lightilluminated surface. In this case, while the light illuminated surfaceis being directed in the upper direction, this back-illuminated typeCMOS solid-state image pickup device is mounted on the mounted substratefrom the side of the surface in which the electrode is formed of theopposite surface.

Cited Patent References 1 and 2 had described the back-illuminated typeCMOS solid-state image pickup device in which the electrode is formed onthe opposite surface of the light illuminated surface.

[Cited Patent Reference 1]: Official Gazette of Japanese laid-openpatent application No. 2003-31785

[Cited Patent Reference 2]: Official Gazette of Japanese laid-openpatent application No. 2003-273343

In recent years, in the solid-state image pickup device, it is desirablethat pixels should be microminiaturized in order to integrate a largenumber of pixels at high integration degree so as to meet with needs ofhigh resolution. As shown in FIG. 1, in the case of the above-mentionedsurface-illuminated type CMOS solid-state image pickup device 1001,since the photodiode PD and a plurality of transistors Tr1 and Tr2 suchas the electric charge read transistors are disposed on the same planein each pixel region, there is a tendency that the area of one pixel1005 is increased. For this reason, it becomes difficult to make thepixel size become very small. When the pixel size is made very small,since the area of the photodiode PD is reduced, problems arise, in whichthe saturation electric charge amount (Qs) is lowered and in whichsensitivity is lowered.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 2, in the above-mentionedback-illuminated type CMOS solid-state image pickup device 1021, sincethe light L is introduced from the back surface side of the substrateinto this CMOS solid-state image pickup device 1021, it is possible toincrease the light-receiving area as compared with thesurface-illuminated type CMOS solid-state image pickup device and hencesensitivity can be increased. However, as shown in FIG. 2, in thisback-illuminated type CMOS solid-state image pickup device 1021, it isdesirable that the electric charges e generated in the photo-electricconversion region portion 1022 c corresponding to the lower portion(that is, lower portion of the p type semiconductor well region 1024) ofthe read circuit formed of a plurality of MOS transistors should beefficiently collected to the n⁺ charge accumulation region 1022 a on thesurface side of the substrate, thereby suppressing the saturationelectric charge amount (Qs) from being lowered.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the aforesaid aspect, the present invention intends toprovide a solid-state image pickup device in which the pixel size can bemade very small without lowering a saturation electric charge amount(Qs) and sensitivity.

Further, the present invention intends to provide a camera including theabove-mentioned solid-state image pickup device.

Furthermore, the present invention intends to provide a process ofsimply and easily manufacturing a back-illuminated type CMOS solid-stateimage pickup device having an arrangement in which an electrode is ledout from the surface of the opposite side of the light illuminatedsurface.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there are provided aback-illuminated type solid-state image pickup device and a camera inwhich a read circuit for reading a signal from a photo-electricconversion element formed on a substrate is formed on one surface ofsaid substrate, incident light being introduced into theback-illuminated type solid-state image pickup device from the othersurface of the semiconductor substrate. The solid-state image pickupdevice and the camera are comprised of a photo-electric conversionregion formed under at least a portion of the read circuit to generateelectric charges and an electric charge accumulation region formed onthe photo-electric conversion element at its one surface side of thesubstrate, wherein electric charges are collected to the electric chargeaccumulation region by an electric field formed within thephoto-electric conversion element.

In the solid-state image pickup device and the camera according to thepresent invention, the photo-electric conversion region within thephoto-electric conversion element and the electric charge accumulationregion have therebetween formed a potential distribution such thatpotential is increased from the photo-electric conversion region to theelectric charge accumulation region.

Further, in the solid-state image pickup device and the camera accordingto the present invention, the photo-electric conversion element has apotential distribution of which potential is increased from the othersurface of the substrate to one surface along the depth direction of thesubstrate.

According to other aspect of the present invention, there are provided amethod of manufacturing a back-illuminated type solid-state image pickupdevice and a camera in which a read circuit for reading a signal from aphoto-electric conversion element formed on a substrate is formed on onesurface of the substrate, incident light being introduced into theback-illuminated type solid-state image pickup device from the othersurface of the semiconductor substrate. A method of manufacturing asolid-state image pickup device and a camera are comprised of the stepsof forming a photo-electric conversion region under at least a portionof the read circuit to generate electric charges, forming an electriccharge accumulation region on the photo-electric conversion element atits one surface side of the substrate and collecting electric charges tothe electric charge accumulation region by an electric field formedwithin the photo-electric conversion element.

In the method of manufacturing a solid-state image pickup device and acamera according to the present invention, the photo-electric conversionelement has a potential distribution of which potential is increasedfrom the other surface of the substrate to one surface along the depthdirection of the substrate.

Further, in the method of manufacturing a solid-state image pickupdevice and a camera according to the present invention, thephoto-electric conversion element on the other side of the semiconductorsubstrate of a semiconductor well region of the photo-electricconversion element has a potential distribution of which potential isincreased from the other surface of the semiconductor substrate to onesurface of the semiconductor substrate.

According to a further aspect of the present invention, there areprovided a method of manufacturing a solid-state image pickup deviceincluding a semiconductor well region and a camera. In this method ofmanufacturing a solid-state image pickup device and a camera accordingto the present invention, the semiconductor well region has a portioncontacting with the photo-electric conversion element, the portionhaving an impurity concentration which is decreased progressively orstepwise from other surface of the semiconductor substrate to onesurface of the semiconductor substrate.

According to a further aspect of the present invention, there areprovided a method of manufacturing a solid-state image pickup deviceincluding a pixel separating region to separate the photo-electricconversion element. In this method of manufacturing a solid-state imagepickup device according to the present invention, the pixel separatingregion has an impurity concentration which is decreased progressively orstepwise from the other surface of the semiconductor substrate to onesurface of the semiconductor substrate.

In the method of manufacturing a solid-state image pickup deviceaccording to the present invention, the photo-electric conversionportion and the electric charge accumulation region within thephoto-electric conversion element have formed therebetween a potentialdistribution which is increased from the photo-electric conversionportion to the electric charge accumulation region.

Further, in the method of manufacturing a solid-state image pickupdevice according to the present invention, the photo-electric conversionelement has a potential distribution of which potential is increasedfrom the other surface of the substrate to one surface in the substratedepth direction.

In accordance with yet a further aspect of the present invention, thereare provided a method of manufacturing a back-illuminated typesolid-state image pickup device and a camera in which a buried wiringconnected to a plurality of pixels is formed on one surface of asemiconductor layer in which a plurality of pixels containing aphoto-electric conversion element and a field-effect transistor isformed, the other surface of the semiconductor layer serving as alight-receiving portion of the photo-electric conversion element. Amethod of manufacturing a solid-state image pickup device and a cameraare comprised of the steps of a step of forming a plurality of pixelscontaining the photo-electric conversion element and the field-effecttransistor on one principal plane of a semiconductor substrate, a stepof forming buried wirings, connected to a plurality of pixels, on oneprincipal plane of the semiconductor substrate, a step of bonding asupporting substrate to one principal plane of the semiconductorsubstrate, a step of decreasing a thickness of the supporting substratefrom the opposite side of a bonding surface, a step of formingpenetrating wirings, which pass through the supporting substrate, suchthat the penetrating wirings are connected to the buried wirings and astep of decreasing a thickness of the semiconductor substrate from theother principal plane of the semiconductor substrate to provide thesemiconductor layer until the photo-electric conversion element becomesable to receive light from the other principal plane of thesemiconductor substrate.

The above-described method of manufacturing a solid-state image pickupdevice and a camera according to the present invention is a method ofmanufacturing a back-illuminated type solid-state image pickup device inwhich buried wirings connected to a plurality of pixels are formed onone plane of a semiconductor layer in which a plurality of pixelsincluding a photo-electric conversion element and a field-effecttransistor is formed, the other plane of the semiconductor layerbecoming a light-receiving surface of the photo-electric conversionelement.

First, a plurality of pixels including the photo-electric conversionelement and the field-effect transistor is formed on one principal planeof the semiconductor substrate and further the buried wirings connectedto a plurality of pixels are formed.

Next, the supporting substrate is bonded to one principal plane of thesemiconductor substrate, the supporting substrate is decreased inthickness from the opposite side of the surface in which the supportingsubstrate is bonded to one principal plane of the semiconductorsubstrate and the penetrating wirings, which pass through the supportingsubstrate, are formed so as to be connected to the buried wirings.

Next, the semiconductor substrate is decreased in thickness from theother principal plane side of the semiconductor substrate to provide thesemiconductor layer until the photo-electric conversion element becomesable to receive light from the other principal plane side of thesemiconductor substrate.

Further, a method of manufacturing a solid-state image pickup deviceaccording to the present invention is further comprised of the step offorming a projection electrode, projected from the surface of thesupporting substrate, on the surface of the penetrating wirings afterthe penetrating wiring forming process.

Furthermore, a method of manufacturing a solid-state image pickup deviceaccording to the present invention, the semiconductor substrate is anSOI (semiconductor on insulator) substrate having a semiconductor layerformed on a principal substrate through an insulating layer, theprincipal substrate being removed in the process for decreasing thethickness of the semiconductor substrate from the other principal planeof the semiconductor substrate until the insulating layer is exposed.

According to still a further aspect of the present invention, there isprovided a method of manufacturing a back-illuminated type solid-stateimage pickup device and a camera in which buried wirings connected to aplurality of pixels are formed on one plane of a semiconductor layer onwhich a plurality of pixels containing a photo-electric conversionelement and a field-effect transistor is formed, the other plane of thesemiconductor layer becoming a light-receiving surface of thephoto-electric conversion element. This method of manufacturing asolid-state image pickup device and a camera is comprised of the stepsof a step of forming a plurality of pixels containing the photo-electricconversion element and the field-effect transistor on one principalplane of a semiconductor substrate, a step of forming buried wirings,which are connected to a plurality of pixels, on one principal plane ofthe semiconductor substrate, a step of forming a supporting substratewiring which reaches from the surface of one principal plane of asupporting substrate to at least a predetermined depth, a step ofbonding the one principal plane of the semiconductor substrate to oneprincipal plane of the supporting substrate, a step of decreasing athickness of the semiconductor substrate from other principal plane ofthe semiconductor substrate to provide the semiconductor layer until thephoto-electric conversion element becomes able to receive light from theother principal plane of the semiconductor substrate, a step of forminga connection wiring to connect the supporting substrate wiring and theburied wiring and a step of decreasing a thickness of the supportingsubstrate from the other surface side of the supporting substrate untilthe supporting substrate wiring is exposed so that the supportingsubstrate wiring is formed as a penetrating wiring which penetrates thesupporting substrate.

The above-described method of manufacturing a solid-state image pickupdevice and a camera according to the present invention is a method ofmanufacturing a back-illuminated type solid-state image pickup device inwhich buried wirings connected to a plurality of pixels are formed onone plane of a semiconductor layer in which a plurality of pixelsincluding a photo-electric conversion element and a field-effecttransistor is formed, the other plane of the semiconductor layerbecoming a light-receiving surface of the photo-electric conversionelement.

First, a plurality of pixels including the photo-electric conversionelement and the field-effect transistor is formed on one principal planeof the semiconductor substrate and further the buried wirings connectedto a plurality of pixels are formed.

Next, the supporting substrate is bonded to one principal plane of thesemiconductor substrate, the supporting substrate is decreased inthickness from the opposite side of the surface in which the supportingsubstrate is bonded to one principal plane of the semiconductorsubstrate and the penetrating wirings, which pass through the supportingsubstrate, are formed so as to be connected to the buried wirings.

Next, the semiconductor substrate is decreased in thickness from theother principal plane side of the semiconductor substrate to provide thesemiconductor layer until the photo-electric conversion element becomesable to receive light from the other principal plane side of thesemiconductor substrate.

Also, the present invention is a back-illuminated type solid-state imagepickup device and a camera in which buried wirings connected to aplurality of pixels and penetrating wirings, which pass through thesupporting substrate, connected to the buried wirings are formed on oneplane of the semiconductor layer on which a plurality of pixelsincluding a photo-electric conversion element and a field-effecttransistor is formed, the other plane of the semiconductor layerbecoming the light-receiving surface of the photo-electric conversionelement.

Further, a method of manufacturing a solid-state image pickup device anda camera according to the present invention is further comprised of astep of forming a projection electrode, projected from the surface ofthe supporting substrate, on the surface of the penetrating wiring afterthe process of forming the supporting substrate wiring as thepenetrating wiring.

Furthermore, a method of manufacturing a solid-state image pickup deviceand a camera according to the present invention, the semiconductorsubstrate is an SOI substrate in which a semiconductor layer is formedon a principal substrate through an insulating layer, the principalsubstrate being removed until the insulating film is exposed in theprocess of decreasing the thickness of the semiconductor substrate fromother principal plane side of the semiconductor substrate.

According to the solid-state image pickup device and the camera of thepresent invention, the solid-state image pickup device and the cameraare composed of the back-illuminated type solid-state image pickupdevice, wherein electric charges generated from the photo-electricconversion region portion formed under at least a part of the readcircuit are collected to the electric charge accumulation region of thephoto-electric conversion element by the electric field formed withinthe photo-electric conversion element, whereby a saturation electriccharge amount can be increased. On the other hand, since the portionprovided under the read circuit also is formed as the photo-electricconversion element, the incident light area in which light is introducedfrom the other surface of the substrate can be increased and hencesensitivity of the solid-state image pickup device and the camera can beimproved. Accordingly, it becomes possible to make the pixel size becomevery small in accordance with increase of integration degree of pixelwithout lowering a saturation electric charge amount and sensitivity.

The potential distribution of which potential is increased from thephoto-electric conversion region portion to the electric chargeaccumulation region is formed between the above-described photo-electricconversion region portion and electric charge accumulation region withinthe photo-electric conversion element, whereby electric charges can bemoved from the photo-electric conversion region portion and accumulatedin the electric charge accumulation region efficiently.

The potential distribution of which potential is increased toward theother plane of the substrate or one plane in the substrate depthdirection of the photo-electric conversion element, whereby electriccharges generated within the photo-electric conversion element can beefficiently moved to and accumulated in the electric charge accumulationregion which exists on one plane.

Also, according to the method of manufacturing a solid-state imagepickup device and a camera of the present invention, since thesemiconductor substrate is decreased in thickness after the supportingsubstrate was bonded to the semiconductor substrate to maintainsufficient strength and the supporting substrate is decreased inthickness to form the penetrating wirings, it is possible to simply andeasily manufacture the back-illuminated type CMOS solid-state imagepickup device and the camera having the arrangement in which theelectrode is led out from the surface of the opposite side of the lightilluminated surface.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an arrangement of a main portionof a surface-illuminated type CMOS solid-state image pickup deviceaccording to the related art;

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an arrangement of a main portionof a back-illuminated type CMOS solid-state image pickup deviceaccording to the related art;

FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an arrangement of anelectronic device in which a back-illuminated type. CMOS solid-stateimage pickup device according to an example of the related art;

FIG. 4A to 4E are respectively cross-sectional views showingmanufacturing processes of a back-illuminated type CMOS solid-stateimage pickup device according to an example of the related art;

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing an arrangement of a main portionof a solid-state image pickup device according to an embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a camera according toan embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an arrangement of anelectronic device in which a back-illuminated type CMOS solid-stateimage pickup device according to a first embodiment of the presentinvention is mounted;

FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing an arrangement of an image sensor inwhich the back-illuminated type CMOS solid-state image pickup deviceaccording to the first embodiment of the present invention is assembled;

FIG. 9 is an equivalent circuit diagram showing an arrangement of apixel of the back-illuminated type CMOS solid-state image pickup deviceaccording to the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 10A to 10G are cross-sectional views showing manufacturingprocesses of the back-illuminated type CMOS solid-state image pickupdevice according to the first embodiment of the present invention,respectively;

FIG. 11 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a back-illuminatedtype CMOS solid-state image pickup device according to a secondembodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 12A to 12G are cross-sectional views showing manufacturingprocesses of the back-illuminated type CMOS solid-state image pickupdevice according to the second embodiment of the present invention,respectively.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A first embodiment of the present invention will hereinafter bedescribed with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing an arrangement of aback-illuminated type CMOS solid-state image pickup device according tothe present invention.

As shown in FIG. 5, a back-illuminated type CMOS solid-state imagepickup device 1040 includes a first conductivity type, for example, an ntype silicon semiconductor substrate 1042 on which a pixel separationregion formed of a second conductivity type, for example, a p typesemiconductor region to divide respective pixels is formed. On eachdivided area, there is formed a unit pixel 1045 composed of a photodiodePD and a plurality of MOS transistors, for example, four MOS transistorsof an electric charge read transistor Tr1, a reset transistor, anamplifier transistor and a vertical selection transistor (all of whichwill be generally referred to a “Tr2”). A large number of unit pixels1045 are arranged in an XY matrix fashion (that is, in a two-dimensionalfashion).

A plurality of MOS transistors Tr1 and Tr2 constitutes a read circuitfor reading signal electric charges from the photodiode PD. A pluralityof MOS transistors constructing this read circuit is formed on a p typesemiconductor well region 1046 formed in such a manner that a pixelseparation region 1043 may be connected to one surface of thesemiconductor substrate 1042, that is, the surface side of thesubstrate. The electric charge read transistor Tr1 is composed of aheavily-doped n⁺ source/drain region 1047 formed within a p typesemiconductor well region 1046, an n type electric charge accumulationregion formed on the substrate surface of the photodiode PD and a gateelectrode 1048 formed on the substrate surface between the two regions1046 and 1047 through a gate insulating film. This n⁺ source/drainregion 1047 becomes a so-called floating diffusion (FD). The transistorTr2 such as other reset transistor, amplifier transistor and verticalselection transistor is similarly formed of an n⁺ source/drain region1049 and a gate electrode 1050 formed on the p type semiconductor wellregion 1046 through the gate insulating film although not shown partly.A multilayer wiring layer 1063, which is provided by forming a circuitwiring 1061 of the read circuit, is formed on the semiconductorsubstrate on which the respective transistors are formed through aninterlayer insulator 1062.

The photodiode PD is composed of an n⁺ semiconductor region 1052extended from one surface of the substrate to the other surface, thatis, from the substrate surface through the back surface of the substrateto the underside of the p type semiconductor well region 1046 (that is,a read circuit region) in which the read circuit is formed, aheavily-doped p type semiconductor region formed on the interface of thesurface side of the n type semiconductor region 1052, that is, so-calledp⁺ accumulation layer 1053 and a heavily-doped p type semiconductorregion formed on the interface of the back surface side of the n typesemiconductor region, that is, so-called p⁺ accumulation layer 1054. Then type semiconductor region 1052 constructing the photodiode PD iscomposed of a heavily-doped n type electric charge accumulation region1052 a formed on the substrate surface side, an n type region 1052 bhaving an impurity concentration higher than that of this electriccharge accumulation region 1052 a and which is extended from theelectric charge accumulation region 1052 a to the back surface side ofthe substrate and an type semiconductor region 1052 c extended to theunderside of the p type semiconductor well region 1046. A lower portionof the gate electrode 1048 of the electric charge read transistor alsois formed as the n type semiconductor region 1052 b.

Then, in this embodiment, in particular, in the n type semiconductorregion 1052 constructing the photodiode PD, electric field to movephoto-electrically-converted electric charges e toward the substratesurface side is formed in the substrate depth direction. Further,electric field is formed in order to move electric charges of thephoto-electric conversion region formed right under the p typesemiconductor well region 1046, that is, an n type semiconductor region1052 c 1 to the n type electric charge accumulation region 1052 a.

Specifically, a potential distribution of which potential is increasedfrom the back surface of the substrate to the substrate surface isformed on the n type semiconductor region 1052. In this case, apotential distribution of which potential is increased from the backsurface of the substrate to the n type electric charge accumulationregion 1052 a on the surface of the substrate is formed on the n typesemiconductor region 1052 b except the underside of the p typesemiconductor well region 1046. A potential distribution of whichpotential is increased from the back surface of the substrate to theregion 1052 c 1 on the surface side formed right under the p typesemiconductor well region 1046 is formed on the n type semiconductorregion 1052 c under the p type semiconductor well region 1046.

Further, there is formed a potential distribution of which potential isincreased from the nearby region including the n type semiconductorregion 1052 c 1 right under the p type semiconductor well region 1046 tothe n type electric charge accumulation region 1052 a in substantiallythe lateral direction.

As an example of methods of forming the above-mentioned potentialdistribution, potential distributions can be formed by controlling theimpurity concentration of the n type semiconductor region 1052. Withrespect to the substrate depth direction, the above-described potentialdistributions can be formed by progressively or stepwise, in thisembodiment, stepwise increasing the n type impurity concentration of then type semiconductor region 1052 from the back surface side of thesubstrate to the substrate surface side. With respect to substantiallythe lateral direction from the nearby region including the n typesemiconductor region 1052 c 1 formed right under the p typesemiconductor well region 1046 to the n type electric chargeaccumulation region 1052 a, the above-described potential distributionscan be formed by progressively or stepwise, in this embodiment, stepwiseincreasing the n type impurity concentration from the n typesemiconductor region 1052 c 1 formed right under the p typesemiconductor well region to the n type electric charge accumulationregion 1052 a.

The n type electric charge accumulation region 1052 a, for example, canbe formed by an impurity concentration of which doze is higher than 10¹²cm⁻², and the n type semiconductor region 1052 c 1 can be formed by animpurity concentration of which doze is selected in a range of fromabout 10¹¹ to 10¹² cm⁻².

As another example of methods of forming the above-described potentialdistributions, the above-described potential distribution of thesubstrate depth direction can be formed by progressively or stepwisedecreasing the p type impurity concentration of the p type pixelseparation region 1043 from the back surface side of the substrate tothe substrate surface side under the condition in which n type impurityconcentrations of other n type semiconductor regions 1052 b and 1052 cthan the n type electric charge accumulation region 1052 a. Also, theabove-described potential distribution of substantially the lateraldirection can be formed by progressively or stepwise decreasing the ptype impurity concentration of the portion adjoining the n typesemiconductor region 1052 c 1 of the p type semiconductor well region1046 toward the n type electric charge accumulation region 1052 a underthe condition in which the n type impurity concentrations of the n typesemiconductor regions 1052 b and 1052 c are made constant similarly.

As illustrated, the region under the gate electrode 1048 of the electriccharge read transistor Tr1 also is constructed as the n typesemiconductor region 1052 b of the photodiode PD. However, a channelregion 1055 by which a predetermined threshold value can be obtained isformed right under the gate electrode 1048. During the light-receivingand accumulation period, the electric charges e in the n typesemiconductor region 1052 just below the p type semiconductor wellregion 1046 also are moved to and accumulated in the n type electriccharge accumulation region 1052 a. At that case, in order to prevent theelectric charges e from being leaked through the n type region portion1056 just below the gate electrode 1048 into the source/drain region1047 which becomes the floating diffusion (FD) of the electric chargeread transistor Tr1, an impurity concentration in the n type regionportion 1056 right under the gate electrode 1048 is set to be such onethat a potential barrier may be formed.

Also, in the n type electric charge accumulation region 1052 a, in orderto efficiently transfer accumulated signal electric charges e to theelectric charge read transistor Tr1, there is formed a potentialdistribution of which potential is increased toward the side of theelectric charge read transistor Tr1. To this end, the impurityconcentration of the n type electric charge accumulation region 1052 ais made constant and the impurity concentration of the p⁺ accumulationlayer 1053 is decreased toward the electric charge read transistor Tr1.In this embodiment, an accumulation layer 1053 is formed between the tworegions of a high concentration region 1053 a and a low concentrationregion 1053 b.

Although not shown, a color filter and an on-chip microlens are formedon the back surface side of the substrate through an insulating film.Also, a supporting substrate formed of a silicon substrate, for example,for reinforcement can be constructed on the multilayer wiring layer1063. In this manner, there can be constructed a target back-illuminatedtype CMOS solid-state image pickup device 1041.

Next, operations of the above-mentioned back-illuminated type CMOSsolid-state image pickup device 1041 according to this embodiment willbe described. Incident light L is introduced from the back surface sideof the substrate into the photodiode PD which is the photo-electricconversion element. The incident light L is introduced into the wholeregion of the photodiode PD including the lower portion of the p typesemiconductor well region 1046 and it is photo-electrically-converted bythe n type semiconductor region 1052 in the photodiode PD to therebygenerate signal electric charges (electrons in this embodiment) e. Thethus generated signal electric charges e are moved to a pn junctionportion of the substrate surface side by the electric field formedwithin the n type semiconductor region 1052, that is, a potentialdistribution of which potential is increased toward the n type electriccharge accumulation region 1052 a. Specifically, the signal electriccharges generated within the n type semiconductor region 1052 b aremoved to the pn junction portion of the substrate surface side by theabove-described electric field and accumulated in the n type electriccharge accumulation region 1052 a. Also, signal electric chargesgenerated in the n type semiconductor region 1052 c under the p typesemiconductor well region 1046 are moved to the pn junction formed onthe lower portion of the p type semiconductor well region 1046,accordingly, the n type semiconductor region 1052 c 1 by theabove-described electric field. Further, these signal electric chargesare efficiently moved to the pn junction portion formed on the substratesurface side and accumulated in the n type electric charge accumulationregion by the electric field formed toward the n type electric chargeaccumulation region 1052 a, that is, the potential distribution of whichpotential is increased from the n type semiconductor region 1052 c 1 tothe n type electric charge accumulation region 1052 a.

According to the back-illuminated type CMOS solid-state image pickupdevice 1041 of this embodiment, since the lower portion of the p typesemiconductor well region 104 According to the back-illuminated typeCMOS solid-state image pickup device 1041 of this embodiment, since thelower portion of the p type semiconductor well region 1046 forming theread circuit also is formed as the photodiode PD, the area in whichincident light can be introduced from the back surface side can be madelarger than that of the related-art surface-illuminated type CMOSsolid-state image pickup device so that much more signal electriccharges can be read out, thereby resulting in sensitivity beingincreased. Also, since the electric field is formed from the n typesemiconductor region 1052 c 1 under the p type semiconductor well region1046 to the n type electric charge accumulation region 1052 a, signalelectric charges in the n type semiconductor region 1052 c 1 can beefficiently accumulated in the n type electric charge accumulationregion 1052 a and hence much more signal electric charges can beaccumulated. As a consequence, it is also possible to increase thesaturation electric charge amount (Qs).

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing a camera according to theembodiment of the present invention. The camera according to thisembodiment is a video camera which is able to shoot real movingpictures.

As shown in FIG. 6, the camera according to this embodiment includes asemiconductor image sensor/module 2011, an optical system 2210, ashutter apparatus 2211, a driver circuit 2212 and a signal processingcircuit 2213.

The optical system 2210 is able to focus light of image (incident light)from the object on the image pickup screen of the semiconductor imagesensor module 2011, whereby signal electric charges are accumulatedwithin the semiconductor image sensor module 2011 during a constantperiod.

The shutter apparatus 2211 are able to control a time period in whichlight is illuminated on the semiconductor image sensor module 2011 and atime period in which the semiconductor image sensor module 2011 isshielded from illumination of light.

The driver circuit 2212 supplies drive signals to control transferoperations of the semiconductor image sensor module 2011 and alsosupplies drive signals to control shutter operations of the shutterapparatus 2211. The semiconductor image sensor module 2011 is able totransfer charges in response to drive signals (timing signals) suppliedfrom the driver circuit 2212. The signal processing circuit 2213 carriesout various kinds of signal processing. A video signal, which wasprocessed in a suitable signal processing fashion, may be stored in asuitable recording medium such as a memory or it may be outputted to amonitor.

Therefore, according to this embodiment, even when the pixel size isreduced in accordance with the increase of integration degree of pixel,it is possible to provide a CMOS solid-state image pickup device withhigh sensitivity and large dynamic range.

A method of manufacturing a CMOS solid-state image pickup deviceaccording to the embodiment of the present invention will be describedbelow with reference to the drawings.

A second embodiment of the present invention will be described.

FIG. 7 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an arrangement of anelectronic apparatus in which the back-illuminated type CMOS solid-stateimage pickup device according to the first embodiment of the presentinvention is mounted.

As shown in FIG. 7, a sensor chip la, which is a back-illuminated typeCMOS solid-state image pickup device with an image pickup pixel unitprovided thereon, and a signal processing chip 2 with a peripheralcircuit unit such as a signal processing circuit provided thereon, aremounted on an interposer (intermediate substrate) 3, for example.

The sensor chip 1 a has an interlayer insulator 20 formed on asupporting substrate 30 and a buried wiring layer 21 buried therein. Asemiconductor layer 12 is formed on the buried wiring layer 21 and asurface insulating layer 11 is formed on the surface of thesemiconductor layer 12.

A photodiode 14 and an alignment mark 13 and the like are formed in thesemiconductor layer 12. The alignment mark 13 is a mark for an occasionwhen patterning is carried out on the rear side of the semiconductorsubstrate 50. Also, a part of the buried wiring layer 21 becomes a gateelectrode formed on the semiconductor layer 12 through a gate insulatingfilm, thereby resulting in a CMOS transistor 15 being constructed.

Further, there is formed a supporting substrate penetrating wiring 31which is connected to the wiring layer 21 through the supportingsubstrate 30. A protruded electrode (bump) 32, which is protruded fromthe surface of the supporting substrate 30, is formed on the supportingsubstrate penetrating wiring 31. The bump (micro-bump) 32 is aprotrusion-like metal electrode formed on a pad smaller than an ordinarypad electrode for use with wiring bonding by a suitable method such aselectrolytic plating.

The sensor chip la having the above-described arrangement is theso-called back-illuminated type CMOS solid-state image pickup device inwhich when light is illuminated on the photodiode 14 formed in thesemiconductor layer 12 from the side of the surface insulating layer 11,signal electric charges are generated and accumulated in the photodiode14. A CMOS transistor 15 has functions to transfer signal electriccharges accumulated in the photodiode to the FD unit, to amplify signalsor reset signals.

In the above-described arrangement, the semiconductor layer is obtainedby decreasing the thickness of the back surface of the semiconductorsubstrate and it has the structure in which it is bonded to thesupporting substrate 30 in order to stabilize the shape of thesubstrate.

As described above, the CMOS solid-state image pickup device accordingto this embodiment is the back-illuminated type solid-state image pickupdevice in which buried wirings connected to a plurality of pixels areformed on one surface of the semiconductor layer in which a plurality ofpixels including the photo-electric conversion element and thefield-effect transistor is formed, the other surface of thesemiconductor layer becoming the light-receiving surface of thephoto-electric conversion element.

The above-described sensor chip 1 a is mounted on the interposer 3 inwhich wirings 40 and an insulating layer 41 for insulating the wirings40 are formed from the side of the supporting substrate 30 of theopposite side of the light illuminated side by flip-chip bonding in sucha manner that a land, which is provided by exposing a part of thesurface of the wiring from the opening portion of the insulating layer,and the bump may be joined.

On the other hand, the signal processing chip 2 with the peripheralcircuit unit formed thereon is mounted on the interposer through thebump, for example, by flip-chip bonding.

The electronic apparatus having the above-mentioned arrangement ismounted on other mounted substrate at every interposer and theelectronic apparatus are electrically connected by wire bonding 42, forexample, when they are in use.

A function evaluation electrode PAD in which the above-described sensorchip (CMOS solid-state image pickup device) and the signal processingchip are connected as one chip is formed on the interposer, for example.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing an arrangement of an image sensorhaving the CMOS solid-state image pickup device according to thisembodiment assembled therein, and FIG. 9 is an equivalent circuitdiagram showing an arrangement of a pixel of the CMOS solid-state imagepickup device according to this embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 8, the image sensor according to this embodiment iscomposed of an image pickup pixel unit 112, a V selection means 114, anH selection means 116, a timing generator (TG) 118, an S/H/CDS(sample-and-hold/correlation double sampling) circuit 120, an AGC(automatic gain control) unit 122, an A/D (analog-to-digital) conversionunit 124, a digital amplifying unit 126 and the like.

For example, the image pickup pixel unit 112, the V selection means 114,the H selection means 116 and the S/H/CDS circuit 120 can be integratedon one chip as the sensor chip 1 a in FIG. 7 and the remaining circuitunits can be integrate on the signal processing chip 2. Alternatively,only the image pickup pixel unit 112 can be formed on the sensor chip 1a.

The image pickup pixel unit 112 has a large number of pixels arranged ina two-dimensional fashion. As shown in FIG. 9, each pixel includes aphotodiode (PD) 200 which is a photo-electric conversion element forgenerating and accumulating signal electric charges corresponding to anamount of received light. Each pixel further includes four MOStransistors of a transfer transistor 220 for transferring signalelectric charges photo-electrically-converted and accumulated by thisphotodiode 200 to a floating diffusion unit (FD unit) 210, a resettransistor 230 for resetting a voltage of the FD unit 210, an amplifiertransistor 240 for outputting an output signal corresponding to thevoltage of the FD unit 210 and a selection (address) transistor 250 foroutputting an output signal of this amplifier transistor 240 to avertical signal line 260.

In the pixel having the above-described arrangement, signal electriccharges photo-electrically-converted by the photodiode 200 aretransferred to the FD unit 210 by the transfer transistor 220. Since theFD unit 210 is connected to the gate of the amplifier transistor 240 andthe amplifier transistor 240 constitute a source-follower transistortogether with a constant current source 270 provided at the outside ofthe image pickup pixel unit 112, when the address transistor 250 isenergized, a voltage corresponding to the voltage of the FD unit 210 isoutputted to the vertical signal line 260. Also, the reset transistor230 resets the voltage of the FD unit 210 to a constant voltage (drivevoltage Vdd in FIG. 9) which does not depend on the signal electriccharges.

Also, various kinds of drive wirings for driving and controllingrespective MOS transistors are connected to the image pixel unit 112 inthe horizontal direction. Respective pixels of the image pickup pixelportion 112 are sequentially selected at the horizontal line (pixelline) unit in the vertical direction by the V selection means 114 andthe MOS transistors of respective pixels are controlled by various kindsof pulse signals from the timing generator 118, whereby signals ofrespective pixels are read out to the S/D/CDS unit 120 at every pixelcolumn through the vertical signal line 260.

The S/H/CDS unit 120 (shown in FIG. 8) is such one in which a S/H/CDScircuit is provided at every pixel column of the image pickup pixel unit113 and it effects signal processing such as CDS (correlation doublesampling) on the pixel signal read out from every each pixel column ofthe image pickup pixel unit 112.

The H selection means 116 outputs the pixel signal from the S/H/CDS unit120 to the AGC unit 122.

The AGC unit 122 effects predetermined gain control on the pixel signalfrom the S/H/CDS unit 120 selected by the H selection means 116 andoutputs the corresponding pixel signal to the A/D conversion unit 124.

The A/D conversion unit 124 converts the pixel signal from the AGC unit122 in the form of analog to digital signal and outputs the digitalsignal to the digital amplifier unit 126.

The digital amplifier unit 126 effects necessary amplification andbuffering on the digital signal output from the A/D conversion unit 124and outputs the thus processed digital signal from an external output(not shown).

The timing generator 118 supplies various kinds of timing signals torespective units other than each pixel of the above-mentioned imagepickup pixel unit 112.

The CMOS image sensor having the above-described arrangement becomesable to directly input the signal outputted from the pixel of the CMOSimage sensor to the signal processing device through the micro-bump atthe pixel unit or at the unit of a plurality of pixels without inputtingthe output signal from the pad electrode formed at the circumference ofthe chip to the signal processing device after the signal outputted fromthe pixel was outputted to the pixel peripheral circuit unlike therelated art. As a consequence, it becomes possible to provide a highperformance and highly-capable device in which signal processing speedamong devices is high and in which the image sensor and the signalprocessing device are integrated as one chip.

A method of manufacturing a back-illuminated type CMOS solid-state imagepickup device according to this embodiment will be described.

First, as shown in FIG. 10A, an insulating film 11 made of silicon oxideand which will become a surface insulating film in the later process isdeposited on the surface of the semiconductor substrate 10 made ofsilicon and the like, for example, by a suitable method such as athermal oxidation method or a CVD (chemical vapor deposition) method.

Further, the semiconductor layer 12 formed of a suitable material suchas silicon is deposited on the upper layer of the insulating layer 11,for example, by a suitable method such as a bonding method or anepitaxial growth method and it is used as an SOI (semiconductor oninsulator) substrate. In this stage, the alignment mark 13 is formed onthe semiconductor layer 12 in advance.

Next, as shown in FIG. 10B, a pn junction is formed by implanting ionsof p type conductive impurities on the n type semiconductor layer 12 andthereby the photodiode 14 that serves as the photo-electric conversionelement is formed in the semiconductor layer 12. Further, the gateelectrode is formed on the surface of the semiconductor layer 12 throughthe gate insulating film and connected to the photodiode 14 and the liketo form the CMOS transistor 15, thereby resulting in a plurality ofpixels having the above-described arrangement being formed.

Further, there is formed the interlayer insulator 20 which covers theCMOS transistor, for example. At that time, the buried wiring layer 21is buried into the interlayer insulator so as to be connected to thetransistors and the semiconductor layer 12 and the like.

Next, as shown in FIG. 10C, the supporting substrate 30 formed of asuitable material such as a silicon substrate or an insulating resinsubstrate is bonded to the upper layer of the interlayer insulator 20 bya suitable method such as thermo compression bonding using athermosetting resin as an adhesive.

Next, as shown in FIG. 10D, the supporting substrate 30 is decreased inthickness from the opposite side of the bonded surface by a suitablemethod such as mechanical grinding.

Next, as shown in FIG. 10E, the supporting substrate penetrating wiring31 that penetrates the supporting substrate 30 is formed so as to beconnected to the buried wiring layer 21. This supporting substratepenetrating wiring 31 can be formed in such a manner that a resist filmis pattern-formed during a photolithography process, for example, andetched by a suitable method such as dry etching to form an openingportion, which reaches the buried wiring layer 21, on the supportingsubstrate, whereby the opening portion on the supporting substrate 30 isburied by a low-resistance metal such as copper.

Next, as shown in FIG. 10F, the bump 32, which protrudes from thesurface of the supporting substrate 30, is formed on the surface of thesupporting substrate penetrating wiring 31 by a suitable method such asa metal plating treatment.

Next, as shown in FIG. 10G, the semiconductor substrate 10 is decreasedin thickness until the photodiode 14 becomes able to receive light fromthe side of the semiconductor substrate 10 of the SOI substrate, forexample. For example, the insulating film 11 is used as a stopper andthe semiconductor substrate 10 is decreased in thickness from the backsurface side of the semiconductor substrate 10 by mechanical grinding orwet etching treatment until the insulating film 11 is exposed. As aresult, the semiconductor layer 12 of the SOI substrate is left. Herein,the insulating film 11, which is exposed on the surface, will bereferred to as a “surface insulating film”. For convenience sake of thesheet of drawing and in order to more clearly understand the presentinvention, an upper and lower relationship in FIG. 10G is reversedrelative to FIG. 10F.

In this manner, there is formed the back-illuminated type CMOSsolid-state image pickup device (sensor chip) 1 a according to thisembodiment.

Further, it is preferable that an insulating film should be deposited onthe back surface of the semiconductor substrate (semiconductor layer12), which was obtained by decreasing the thickness of the semiconductorsubstrate 10, by a CVD method, for example. This insulating film canfunction not only to protect the silicon surface of the back surface butalso to work as an antireflection film against incident light.

The thus formed back-illuminated type CMOS solid-state image pickupdevice (sensor chip) 1 a is mounted on the interposer through the bump32 by flip-chip bonding such that the light-receiving surface isdirected upwards. For example, lands and bumps on the wirings of theinterposer and bumps on the supporting substrate of the sensor chip maybe compression-bonded together at a temperature lower than a meltingpoint of wirings used within the sensor chip and the signal processingchip and also at a temperature in which bumps can be electricallyconnected together with high stability. Also, the sensor chip can bedirectly mounted on the signal processing chip as a module. Also in thiscase, the sensor chip can be mounted on the signal processing chipsimilarly as described above.

On the other hand, the signal processing chip 2 in which the peripheralcircuit unit is formed also is similarly mounted on the interposerthrough the bump by flip-chip bonding. As a consequence, theback-illuminated type CMOS solid-state image pickup device (sensor chip)1 a and the signal processing chip 2 are connected together through thewirings formed on the interposer 3.

In this fashion, it is possible to manufacture the image sensor in whichthe back-illuminated type CMOS solid-state image pickup device accordingto this embodiment is assembled. Further, after the back-illuminatedtype CMOS solid-state image pickup device was mounted on the interposerby flip-chip bonding, the circuits of the sensor chip can be tested byusing the alignment mark 13.

As described above, according to the method of manufacturing theback-illuminated type CMOS solid-state image pickup device according tothis embodiment, since the semiconductor substrate is decreased inthickness after sufficient strength was maintained by bonding thesupporting substrate to the semiconductor substrate and the penetratingwiring is formed by decreasing the thickness of the supportingsubstrate, the electrode is not led out from the back surface of thesemiconductor substrate and the electrode can be led out from thesupporting substrate. Thus, it is possible to simply and easilymanufacture the back-illuminated type CMOS solid-state image pickupdevice having the arrangement in which the electrode is led out from thesurface of the opposite side of the light illuminated surface.

Also, since the electrode can be formed on the supporting substrate sideof the opposite side of the surface in which light becomes incident,degree of freedom of the arrangement of the electrode can be increasedand hence it becomes possible to form a large number of micro-bumps onthe portion right under the pixel and on the portion right under theperipheral portion of the pixel without decreasing an aperture ratio ofthe CMOS image sensor.

As described above, since the back surface of the semiconductorsubstrate is decreased in thickness and the mounted substrate such asthe interposer and other semiconductor chip such as the signalprocessing chip are connected together by means of bumps, it becomespossible to manufacture a device with high performance and highcapability.

As the semiconductor substrate, it is preferable that an oxide filmshould be formed in advance in the substrate like the SOI substrate.Such semiconductor substrate is preferable because the oxide film in theSOI substrate can be used as the stopper in the wet etching process todecrease the thickness of the semiconductor substrate and a uniform andflat semiconductor substrate can be obtained after the film thickness ofthe semiconductor substrate was decreased.

A third embodiment of the present invention will be described below.

FIG. 11 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an arrangement of anelectronic apparatus in which the back-illuminated type CMOS solid-stateimage pickup device according to the embodiment of the present inventionis mounted.

Similarly to the second embodiment, a sensor chip 1 b, which is aback-illuminated type CMOS solid-state image pickup device with an imagepickup pixel unit provided thereon, and the signal processing chip 2with the peripheral circuit unit such as the signal processing circuitprovided thereon are mounted on the interposer (intermediate substrate)3, for example.

As shown in FIG. 11, the interlayer insulator 20 is formed on thesupporting substrate 30 and the buried wiring layer 21 is buried in theinside of the interlayer insulator 20. The semiconductor layer 12 isformed on the upper layer of the buried wiring layer 21 and the surfaceinsulating films (11, 19) are formed on the surface of the semiconductorlayer 12.

The photodiode 14, the alignment mark 13 and the like are formed in thesemiconductor layer 12. Also, a part of the buried wiring layer 21becomes the gate electrode formed on the semiconductor layer 12 throughthe gate insulating film. Also, there is formed the semiconductor layerpenetrating wiring 16 which is connected through the semiconductor layer12 to the buried wiring layer 21.

Further, a supporting substrate penetrating wiring 31 which penetratesthe supporting substrate 30 is formed and a protrusion electrode (bump)32 which protrudes from the surface of the supporting substrate 30 isformed on the surface of the supporting substrate penetrating wiring 31.

On the other hand, there is formed a semiconductor layer insulatinglayer penetrating wiring 17 which is connected through the semiconductorlayer 12 and the interlayer insulator to the supporting substratepenetrating wiring 31, for example. The semiconductor layer penetratingwiring 16 and the semiconductor layer insulating layer penetratingwiring 17 are connected together by a connection wiring 18 formed on thesurface insulating film 11.

While the supporting substrate penetrating wiring 31 is connectedthrough the semiconductor layer insulating layer penetrating wiring 17,the connection wiring 18 and the semiconductor layer penetrating wiring16 to the buried wiring layer 21 as described above in this embodiment,the present invention is not limited thereto, and the supportingsubstrate penetrating wiring 31 may be directly connected to the buriedwiring layer 21 through part of the above-mentioned elements or notthrough the above-mentioned elements.

The sensor chip 1 b having the above-described arrangement has anarrangement in which when light is illuminated on the photodiode 14formed in the semiconductor layer 12 from the side of the surfaceinsulating films (11, 19), signal electric charges are generated andaccumulated in the photodiode 14. This sensor chip 1 b is theback-illuminated type solid-state image pickup device in which theburied wirings connected to a plurality of pixels are formed on onesurface of the semiconductor layer in which a plurality of pixelsincluding the photo-electric conversion element and the field-effecttransistor is formed, the surface of the semiconductor layer becomingthe light-receiving surface of the photo-electric conversion element.

The above-described sensor chip 1 b is mounted on the interposer 3 inwhich wirings 40 and an insulating layer 41 for insulating the wirings40 are formed from the side of the supporting substrate 30 of theopposite side of the light illuminated side by flip-chip bonding in sucha manner that a land, which is provided by exposing a part of thesurface of the wiring from the opening portion of the insulating layer,and the bump may be joined.

On the other hand, the signal processing chip 2 with the peripheralcircuit unit formed thereon is mounted on the interposer 3 through thebump, for example, by flip-chip bonding.

The electronic apparatus having the above-mentioned arrangement ismounted on other mounted substrate at every interposer and theelectronic apparatus are electrically connected by wire bonding 42, forexample, when they are in use.

The arrangement of the image sensor in which the back-illuminated typeCMOS solid-state image pickup device according to this embodiment isassembled and the arrangement of the pixel are similar to those of thefirst embodiment.

A method of the back-illuminated type CMOS solid-state image pickupdevice according to this embodiment will be described.

First, as shown in FIG. 12A, the insulating film 11 made of siliconoxide and which will become a surface insulating film in the laterprocess is deposited on the surface of the semiconductor substrate 10made of silicon and the like, for example, by a suitable method such asa thermal oxidation method or a CVD (chemical vapor deposition) method.

Further, the semiconductor layer 12 formed of a suitable material suchas silicon is deposited on the upper layer of the insulating film 11,for example, by a suitable method such as a bonding method or anepitaxial growth method and it is used as an SOI (semiconductor oninsulator) substrate. In this stage, the alignment mark 13 is formed onthe semiconductor layer 12 in advance.

Next, as shown in FIG. 12B, the photodiode 14 is formed in thesemiconductor layer 12 as the photo-electric conversion element byimplanting ions of conductive impurities. Further, the gate electrode isformed on the surface of the semiconductor layer 12 through the gateinsulating film and connected to the photodiode 14 and the like to formthe CMOS transistor 15, thereby resulting in a plurality of pixelshaving the above-described arrangement being formed.

Further, there is formed the interlayer insulator 20 which covers theCMOS transistor, for example. At that time, the buried wiring layer 21is buried into the interlayer insulator so as to be connected to thetransistors and the semiconductor layer 12 and the like.

On the other hand, the supporting substrate wiring 31 which becomes thesupporting substrate penetrating wiring that reaches from the surface ofone principal plane of the supporting substrate formed of the siliconsubstrate or the insulating resin substrate to at least a predetermineddepth is formed. Next, as shown in FIG. 12C, the supporting substrate 30is bonded to the upper layer of the interlayer insulator 20 from theside of the surface on which the supporting substrate wiring 31 isformed.

Next, as shown in FIG. 12D, the semiconductor substrate 10 is decreasedin thickness until the photodiode 14 becomes able to receive light fromthe side of the semiconductor substrate 10 of the SOI substrate, forexample. The insulating film 11 is used as a stopper, for example, andthe semiconductor substrate 10 is decreased in thickness from the backsurface side of the semiconductor substrate 10 by mechanical grinding orwet etching treatment until the insulating film 11 is exposed. As aresult, the semiconductor layer 12 of the SOI substrate is left. Forconvenience sake of the sheet of drawing and in order to more clearlyunderstand the present invention, an upper and lower relationship inFIG. 12D is reversed relative to FIG. 12C.

Next, as shown in FIG. 12E, there is formed a connection wiring by whichthe supporting substrate wiring 31 and the buried wiring layer 21 can beconnected together.

To be more concrete, there is formed the semiconductor layer penetratingwiring 16 which is connected through the semiconductor layer 12 to theburied wiring layer 21, for example, there is formed the semiconductorlayer insulating layer penetrating wiring 17 which is connected throughthe semiconductor layer 12 and the interlayer insulator 20 to thesupporting substrate penetrating wiring 31 and there is formed theconnection wiring 18 by which the semiconductor layer penetrating wiring16 and the semiconductor layer insulating layer penetrating wiring 17are connected together. After that, the surface insulating film 19 whichbecomes the protecting film is formed.

Next, as shown in FIG. 12F, the supporting substrate 30 is decreased inthickness from the opposite side of the bonded surface by a suitablemethod such as mechanical grinding until the supporting substrate wiring31 is exposed, and the supporting substrate wiring 31 is used thesupporting substrate penetrating wiring which penetrates the supportingsubstrate 30.

Next, as shown in FIG. 12G, the bump 32, which protrudes from thesurface of the supporting substrate 30, is formed on the surface of thesupporting substrate penetrating wiring 31 by a suitable treatment suchas a metal plating treatment.

As described above, there can be obtained the back-illuminated type CMOSsolid-state image pickup device (sensor chip) 1 b according to thisembodiment.

The thus formed back-illuminated type CMOS solid-state image pickupdevice (sensor chip) 1 b is mounted on the interposer 3 through the bump32 by flip-chip bonding in such a manner that the light-receivingsurface is directed in the upper direction. The signal processing chip 2also is similarly mounted on the interposer 3 by flip-chip bonding, andthe back-illuminated type CMOS solid-state image pickup device(sensorchip) 1 b and the signal processing chip 2 are connected togetherthrough the wirings formed on the interposer 3.

In this manner, it is possible to manufacture the image sensor in whichthe back-illuminated type CMOS solid-state image pickup device accordingto this embodiment is mounted.

In this embodiment, the buried wiring formed on the semiconductorsubstrate and the penetrating electrode in the supporting substrate arenot directly connected but the penetrating electrode and the buriedwiring may be connected by wirings after the back surface of thesemiconductor substrate was decreased in thickness. According to thismethod, since the penetrating electrode and the buried wiring areconnected by the signal processing device and the micro-bump formed onthe back surface of the supporting substrate so that wire bonding neednot be carried out, the size in which the back-illuminated type CMOSsolid-state image pickup device is formed as one chip can be reducedmuch more.

As described above, according to the method of manufacturing theback-illuminated type CMOS solid-state image pickup device of thisembodiment, since the semiconductor substrate is decreased in thicknessafter sufficient strength was maintained by bonding the supportingsubstrate to the semiconductor substrate and the penetrating wiring isformed by decreasing the thickness of the supporting substrate, it ispossible to simply and easily manufacture the back-illuminated type CMOSsolid-state image pickup device having the arrangement in which theelectrode is led out from the surface of the opposite side of thelight-illuminated surface.

As described above, in the CMOS image sensor in which the CMOSsolid-state image pickup device according to this embodiment is mounted,it becomes possible to directly input the signal outputted from thepixel to the signal processing device through the micro-bump at everyunit of pixel or at every unit of a plurality of pixels. As aconsequence, it becomes possible to provide a high performance devicewith high capability in which a signal processing speed among thedevices is high and in which the image sensor and the signal processingdevice are formed as one chip. Also, since this image sensor need not beconnected to the chip or wafer by wire bonding, the chip size can bereduced, a yield of wafer can be increased and a chip cost can bedecreased.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments.

For example, while the SOI substrate is used as the semiconductorsubstrate in the above-described embodiments, the present invention isnot limited thereto and an ordinary semiconductor substrate can be usedand this semiconductor substrate can be decreased in thickness from thesurface of the opposite side of the surface in which the photodiode andthe transistor are formed.

Further, the bump, which protrudes from the surface of the supportingsubstrate, can be formed on the whole of the chip area. For example,independent bumps can be formed at every pixel of the CMOS image sensorand connected to a suitable element such as the interposer, wherebysignal electric charges can be read out at every pixel.

Furthermore, the present invention can be variously modified withoutdeparting from the gist of the present invention.

According to the solid-state image pickup device and the camera of thepresent invention, the solid-state image pickup device and the cameraare composed of the back-illuminated type solid-state image pickupdevice, wherein electric charges generated from the photo-electricconversion region portion formed under at least a part of the readcircuit are collected to the electric charge accumulation region of thephoto-electric conversion element by the electric field formed withinthe photo-electric conversion element, whereby a saturation electriccharge amount can be increased. On the other hand, since the portionprovided under the read circuit also is formed as the photo-electricconversion element, the incident light area in which light is introducedfrom the other surface of the substrate can be increased and hencesensitivity of the solid-state image pickup device and the camera can beimproved. Accordingly, it becomes possible to make the pixel size becomevery small in accordance with increase of integration degree of pixelwithout lowering a saturation electric charge amount and sensitivity.

The potential distribution of which potential is increased from thephoto-electric conversion region portion to the electric chargeaccumulation region is formed between the above-described photo-electricconversion region portion and the electric charge accumulation regionwithin the photo-electric conversion element, whereby electric chargescan be moved from the photo-electric conversion region portion andaccumulated in the electric charge accumulation region efficiently.

The potential distribution of which potential is increased toward theother plane of the substrate or one plane in the substrate depthdirection of the photo-electric conversion element, whereby electriccharges generated within the photo-electric conversion element can beefficiently moved to and accumulated in the electric charge accumulationregion which depends on one plane.

Also, according to the method of manufacturing a solid-state imagepickup device and a camera of the present invention, since thesemiconductor substrate is decreased in thickness after the supportingsubstrate was bonded to the semiconductor substrate to maintainsufficient strength and the supporting substrate is decreased inthickness to form the penetrating wirings, it is possible to simply andeasily manufacture the back-illuminated type CMOS solid-state imagepickup device and the camera having the arrangement in which theelectrode is led out from the surface of the opposite side of the lightilluminated surface.

It should be understood by those skilled in the art that variousmodifications, combinations, sub-combinations and alterations may occurdepending on design requirements and other factors insofar as they arewithin the scope of the appended claims or the equivalents thereof.

1-16. (canceled)
 17. A back-illuminated type solid-state image pickupdevice comprising: buried wirings connected to a plurality of pixels anda penetrating wiring penetrated through a supporting substrate so as tobe connected to said buried wiring on one plane of a semiconductor layeron which a plurality of pixels containing a photo-electric conversionelement and a field-effect transistor is formed, wherein the other planeof said semiconductor substrate becomes a light-receiving plane of saidphoto-electric conversion element, wherein at least one of thepenetrating wirings provides electrical connection completely throughthe thickness of the substrate. 18-20. (canceled)